Bangkok’s best-kept secret has landed: Easy! Buddy brings its famous Thai fried rice to Manila
Finally, Thai food lovers no longer have to wait for a trip to Bangkok to get their fix of the bestselling pad krapao, an elevated fried rice dish. Easy! Buddy, the brand that specializes in Bangkok's favorite rice dish, recently opened its first international branch, and it's in Makati.
Located on the lower ground floor of The Shops at Ayala Triangle Gardens Tower 2, the Manila branch of Easy! Buddy offers the same premium ingredients and Thai soul that continue to make its Bangkok HQ a crowd favorite.
The casual menu centers around Bangkok's flavor-rich rice meals and every day comfort food. If it's your first time to try Easy! Buddy, order the aptly named Buddy's Favourite—a sticky rice dish with marinated beef, crispy fried duck egg, and caramelized corn. It will help you understand the appeal of the restaurant.
Other rice dishes feature pork with original and spicy variants, prawns, salmon, and USDA beef.
A dish of fried chicken is also a crowd-pleaser.
What makes the menu even more interesting is its flexibility. Since fried rice is the hero, Easy! Buddy lets customers choose their type of rice. There's holy basil, garlic peppercorn, or plain. They can even elevate to either sticky rice or quinoa.
Protein comes next. Striploin steak, salmon, prawns, and crispy pork are some of the bestsellers.
If you'd prefer a set meal, Easy! Buddy has that covered, too. Just let the server know your preferred level of spiciness so you get to experience your meal with full enjoyment.
Don't forget to order appetizers. Try the crispy fried-chicken wings. Or the wontons filled with Thai sweet sausage and truffle paste. Pork neck skewers will also hit the spot.
Of course, being in the Philippines, some local tweaks are inevitable. The beef dishes use local Wagyu. Calamansi is substituted for Thai limes. And tamarind iced tea is just the right thirst quencher.
It isn't just the dishes that will bring a slice of Thailand to the Philippines, but the restaurant's interior design, as well. The Makati restaurant was designed by the same firm that did Easy! Buddy's Bangkok branches.
The result is a casual vibe that can keep up with the lively aura of after-work drinks.